


Debt of honor

by velocitygrass



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Bets, M/M, Strip Tease
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-17
Updated: 2007-08-17
Packaged: 2017-12-09 01:21:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/768325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velocitygrass/pseuds/velocitygrass
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I think your exact words were 'strip and do a pole dance around the gate in front of the entire expedition'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Debt of honor

**Author's Note:**

> I was backup writer for Team Romance for McShep Match 2007 and ended up writing four stories for my prompt "lost". This is the first of those stories.

Rodney still couldn't believe it. It should have worked. They'd made the calculations, checked and re-checked them, set everything up according to the best possible configuration. It should have worked. And that assumption was based on facts and not just his ego. Even Zelenka would agree, although there might be some needling necessary.

He entered Sheppard's room and forestalling any questions said, "I have no idea what happened. It's impossible."

"Considering it failed," Sheppard began and he really didn't even seem upset about it.

"Yes, it failed," Rodney spat out. He was getting angry now, but Sheppard wasn't perturbed. "But there has to be an explanation and I _will_ find it."

"Maybe," Sheppard said noncommittally. "But in the meantime..." He took a step towards Rodney, crossed his arms in front of him and grinned.

"What?" Rodney was irritated. Sheppard might have had his doubts, but he was positively cheerful now and that was just weird, even for him.

"You know perfectly well what."

Obviously Sheppard meant something specific. Rodney tried to remember anything beyond the adrenaline high of finally trying out the new energy distribution system and the subsequent failure. He remembered the control room, where he'd presented his findings and the amazing benefits they would result in. Then he recalled Sheppard teasing him and—

"You can't be serious." Rodney hated how weak it sounded, but he was too shocked, contemplating that Sheppard might actually want to collect.

"Oh, I can and I am." And he looked quite happy about it, too. He was sporting his 'I get to have my way and you can't do anything about it' grin.

Except that Sheppard was absolutely positively _not_ going to get to have his way this time. They hadn't been serious. They'd just been teasing each other. Nobody could possibly take him at his word.

"I was just illustrating my confidence that it would work," Rodney stumbled out because he really didn't know how to explain something that should be _obvious_.

"No," Sheppard replied matter-of-factly. "'I'll dance naked, if it doesn't work' was 'illustrating your confidence'. But when you accepted my bet—"

"You were joking!" Rodney shouted. He felt a rising panic that rapidly led to desperation. At the same time he tried to beat down the urge to just throttle Sheppard for toying with him like this.

"Maybe I was, but you _weren't_ when you agreed. Do you want me to get the tape? I think your exact words were 'strip and do a pole dance around the gate in front of the entire expedition'." And God, he looked as smug as Rodney had ever seen him.

The problem was, Sheppard was right, too. The control room was under constant surveillance and he'd copied that part himself to keep a record of his triumph. He'd have to try a different strategy.

"Something must have gone wrong. I'll have to check the interface with Zelenka. Maybe it was sabotage."

"It doesn't matter _why_ it didn't work," Sheppard said quickly, uncrossing his arms. "A bet it is a bet and you _lost_." He didn't grin anymore and Rodney couldn't help the sinking feeling that Sheppard wasn't just teasing him and would actually insist Rodney would pay his debt.

"But we weren't serious," Rodney tried once more.

"Oh right, so you wouldn't have made me do it if you'd won?" John lifted his eyebrows, challenging Rodney.

Rodney hesitated too long to say 'No'. In all probability, if things would have gone as planned, he _would_ have eventually remembered the bet and given Sheppard a hard time about it. "It would have grown back!" he said huffily, because clearly you couldn't compare it to what Sheppard was asking of him.

"You don't even have to worry about anything like that," Sheppard pointed out, as if it was _reasonable_. "Just a little strip show, strutting your stuff and shaking your booty." And God, he had _not_ just heard those words come from Sheppard's mouth.

Sheppard was smiling again as if he couldn't grasp how utterly and completely insane the idea of Rodney stripping in the gate room was. So it was up to Rodney to put a stop to this now.

"I'm not going to do it," he said, crossing his arms in front of him and raising his chin in determination.

"Okay, if you want to be a coward." Sheppard shrugged, but there was an undertone in his voice that might have been disappointment or even something stronger. In any case it made Rodney suspect that Sheppard wouldn't let this go as lightly as it seemed now. 

"Did you honestly believe I'd strip in front of the entire expedition?" Rodney asked, trying to explain this. He didn't want to put a strain, however temporarily, on their relationship because of some stupid bet. "We're talking about my subordinates here. It's simply a matter of maintaining my authority."

"Just that. So it wouldn't matter if it were just the marines?" Sheppard challenged him. Damn him.

"Well, technically as Head of Science—"

"Okay, just me then. You don't even have to go to the control room. Here will be fine."

In a matter of seconds, Rodney's brain jumped from relief that apparently Sheppard had some inkling of sanity left to imagining what exactly he was suggesting. He blinked. Then he stared at Sheppard, who looked casual, except there was something in his stance and face that suggested the casualness took an effort.

Then again, maybe that was Rodney's imagination. Because his mind whirled around what Sheppard had said and no matter _how_ he looked at it, he came to the same conclusion. "You want me to strip for you?"

"No, I want you to strip and pole dance for the _entire expedition_ as you _said_ you would. But since apparently you _can't_ do that, I'm trying to give you an easy out." An easy out. Sheppard shifted and held out his hands, palms up, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to suggest this. His expression said, 'I just want to help you out, buddy'.

Rodney kept looking at him and wondered if it was really possible that Sheppard didn't know what he was doing. The idea of Rodney stripping in front of Sheppard to fulfill a _bet_ was strange and bizarre and surreal and weird. But he didn't have a problem with that. In the Pegasus Galaxy and even before he'd gotten used to _that_ and at this point hardly batted an eyelash at it. And let's face it, Sheppard was a bit weird, for all his heroics and charms.

But this wasn't just weird, this was, and he couldn't put it any other way, _gay_.

Rodney didn't have a problem with that. He'd had one encounter with another guy too many to call himself straight. And he had, on occasion, noticed that Sheppard was... pretty easy on the eye. Okay, Sheppard could be sexy as hell and it wasn't exactly helping that he was wearing his tight black shirt and his they're-going-to-slide-down-my-hips-any-moment-now pants even as he suggested that Rodney should get naked for him.

This _could_ be a dream come true, if it weren't for the fact that Rodney had no idea if Sheppard was _really_ just trying to allow him to pay his debts without public humiliation. For all his Kirk manners, Sheppard seemed surprisingly oblivious to the effect he had on people. So it was possible, even likely, that Sheppard had no idea what he was asking of Rodney.

Rodney wasn't quite sure if that made it harder or easier to come to a decision.

"I will do horrible things to you if I ever find a tape of this," he eventually said grimly, because that was the only other reason he could think of for Sheppard's suggestion. But Sheppard's face simply lit up. Rodney didn't know what to think of it. It seemed terribly innocent. "Really gruesome," Rodney added, but at this point he sounded more resigned than threatening.

He wasn't quite sure why he was disappointed that Sheppard didn't seem to have any hidden agenda. He'd really only ever entertained a few fantasies about Sheppard. That was all.

Sheppard sauntered over to his laptop and clicked on something. Rodney's eyes widened. The cheapest, corniest porn music imaginable came from the speakers.

"Figured I should be prepared." Sheppard shrugged and sat down on the end of the bed.

His legs were spread and he leaned slightly back onto his hands. Rodney tried not to stare at his crotch and failing that tore his eyes away as quickly as he could.

All of a sudden he remembered with vivid clarity every single moment where he'd felt attracted to Sheppard. Every time he'd noticed the way Sheppard _leaned_ instead of just sitting or standing, the way his hand tightened around his sidearm in that thigh holster, the gravity-defying hair, his eyes, his wet lips, and the neck that just begged to be touched or licked.

So, yeah, that whole occasional thing might have been an understatement.

Sheppard smiled up at him and Rodney figured it would be best to get it over with as soon as possible. He slid out of the left side of his jacket, swaying just a bit to the disturbing music and feeling ridiculous.

Sheppard's mouth curved in amusement and Rodney glared at him, then twirled around and looked over his shoulder, letting the jacket fall to the ground.

Sheppard snorted and Rodney rolled his eyes. This was better. If this was just a joke, then at least he knew how to handle it. They'd be even and Sheppard would tease him, but at least he wouldn't call him a coward. Plus Rodney would eventually figure out a way to get back at him.

He stuck out his ass for a moment then turned around and took a step towards Sheppard. Rodney was pleased to see that Sheppard's smile faded a bit. Sheppard might be Kirk, but Rodney had a move or two up his sleeve. And it had been Sheppard's stupid idea in the first place.

Rodney widened his stance and thrust his hips forward before slowly unbuttoning his pants. He moved to the music a bit and watched Sheppard watching him.

Sheppard wasn't smiling anymore, but he watched Rodney intently. Well, this was probably the first time he'd seen another guy strip for him. Somehow the thought thrilled Rodney, but then he shook it off, because he'd do well to not let this get out of hand.

He certainly didn't want things to be weird between them.

He turned around and in one go, pushed his pants down past his boxers to his ankles. He wriggled his ass just for fun, but there wasn't another laugh from Sheppard.

Rodney looked over his shoulder and saw that Sheppard was staring at his boxer-clad ass and then up to his face. Rodney couldn't really read his expression, but it didn't look like this was all just a big joke to him anymore.

The mood had shifted and Rodney stood frozen to the spot. What if Sheppard had finally realized what the hell they were doing and wondered why _Rodney_ had agreed to this, while it was an honest mistake on Sheppard's part.

After another moment Rodney turned around and swiftly pulled his shirt over his head. "Tadaaa," he said spreading his arms, then he hastily added, "Okay, I'll just get dressed again and l-"

"You didn't dance," Sheppard said, then straightened on the bed. "Pole dance. It was part of the bet."

At this point Rodney had to admit he had no idea what was going on here. Sheppard couldn't possibly still not see how gay this was, but at the same time he didn't give the impression that what he really wanted was... Rodney.

"There is no pole," Rodney said because that at least was a simple reason.

"Uh, you can dance around me," Sheppard said, standing up. He walked over to where there was a bit more space and looked around before finally turning towards Rodney and looking at him uncertainly.

Rodney stared at him.

"I'm not going to drop you."

As if that was even close to the issue! Rodney forced himself not to blurt out 'Are you actually propositioning me or just really clueless?' It wouldn't do any good.

Rodney came to the conclusion that even _if_ Sheppard knew which it was, and it was a big if, he wouldn't be able to articulate it.

So Rodney stepped out of his pants and shoes and walked over to Sheppard in only his socks and boxer shorts.

He put a hand on Sheppard's shoulder and they looked at each other and Rodney couldn't for the life of him say if Sheppard was so secure in his heterosexuality that he could simply _do_ this or if hiding his emotions had become second nature to him.

In the end it didn't matter. Rodney wasn't going to throw himself at him, but he was going to throw himself _around_ him, because that he was clearly invited to do.

He moved down Sheppard's body, avoiding the thigh holster, and quickly rubbed himself against Sheppard's leg, before getting up again. Sheppard just watched him.

Rodney circled him, his hand following, stroking along Sheppard's back until he was in front of him again and let himself fall backward, holding on to his shoulder. Sheppard braced himself and grabbed Rodney's arm for further support. Rodney let himself slip down until only Sheppard's hand was holding his.

He was practically on the ground, thighs spread wide, looking up to Sheppard. When he tugged on Sheppard's hand, Sheppard pulled him up until their bodies were flush against each other.

Rodney felt himself beginning to harden in his boxers and he knew that this was the moment where he had to either stop or face the consequences. He looked at Sheppard, hoping for any sign. When none came, he slowly slid himself down Sheppard's front until he was hanging by his shoulders and looking up at him.

Sheppard's only reaction was a slightly hitched breath, so Rodney let it go. He stepped up and away from Sheppard, ready to put this strange episode into the past, when Sheppard spoke.

"Don't stop." He looked to the ground then back at Rodney. "That was hardly a full dance and you said-"

Rodney had enough of what he'd said he'd do. He walked up to Sheppard again and put his hands on Sheppard's shirt and, after one look at him, pulled. He waited for him to say that _Rodney_ had been the one who'd lost the bet and agreed to strip. But Sheppard didn't say anything.

So Rodney pushed the shirt up and over Sheppard's head and when it was off, Sheppard finally, finally reacted.

He leaned forward and took Rodney's mouth so hungrily that Rodney didn't respond for a second. Then Rodney dropped the shirt and put his hands around Sheppard, kissing back with everything he had.

Rodney vaguely thought that he must have wanted this much more than he'd ever thought, because he couldn't really put into words how much this kiss was soothing an ache he didn't even know he had.

Sheppard's one hand gripped the back of Rodney's head, while the other ran up and down his back. Then Rodney felt himself being pushed backward. He hit the soft surface of the bed with his back and looked up into Sheppard's, no he supposed it should be John now, eyes and saw a combination of want and tenderness that took his breath away.

Suddenly he had to think of all the moments when he'd really cared about John as a friend. Worrying about him in the infirmary. The threats of enemies, that made Rodney's gut twist each and every time. Or the way Rodney enjoyed teasing him or making him smile.

This wasn't just attraction. John was a good friend, possibly his best friend. And he was currently crawling on top of Rodney and leaning down to resume kissing him.

Rodney's hands ran down John's back until his pants were in the way.

"We should..." he said between kisses and John nodded and lifted his hips just enough for Rodney to get his hands between them and undo his fly. He gave John's dick one squeeze, which made him groan into Rodney's mouth. Then he pushed the pants down with John's help until they were both clad in only their boxers.

John's hands moved down Rodney's side until he reached the hem of his boxers. Then it slid inside and circled his dick. Rodney pushed up into John's hand, moaning loudly. He still couldn't quite believe that they were really doing this.

But then John pulled away and quickly got out of his boxers and pushed down Rodney's as well. When he lay back down on top of Rodney and Rodney felt John's dick against his own, he knew it was real.

Because this went so much beyond his imagination, his wildest fantasy, that it could only be real. John's hairy chest was pushing against his own and then he started thrusting against Rodney. John's mouth played with Rodney's neck, sucking and licking irregularly. And Rodney could only groan and try to keep up, to push up and thrust back and kiss John's crazy hair.

When John circled their dicks with one hand and started jerking them off, Rodney tried to hold off, but it was too much, John's hands and John's mouth and John's whole body above him. He moaned one more time and came.

John murmured "Rodney" into his ear and followed him.

They settled down, lying on their sides, facing each other, because that was pretty much the only way you could share an Atlantean bed.

John looked at him, then leaned forward to kiss him again, before pulling back and resuming to watch Rodney. It was as if he couldn't quite believe it either. It really was extraordinary.

Rodney didn't think he would have ever acted on his attraction to John. "I'm glad I lost that bet, even though I still don't understand how that could have happened."

"About that," John said, avoiding Rodney's gaze suddenly.

"Yes?"

"You might want to look into the crystals of the secondary conductor console."

"I checked them twice."

"Even after yesterday evening?" John grinned sheepishly.

Rodney gaped. He'd known it! There had to be a simple reason, although he'd never seriously considered sabotage. And why the hell would John do something like that? And how?

"How would you even know what to do to make it fail without blowing us all up?"

"I bribed Zelenka?"

"But why? Is your stupid hair so precious to you? Granted, half the expedition gasped in shock, when you uttered those horrible words 'regulation haircut', but you'd sabotage our test run just to keep _this_?" Rodney asked, patting John's hair.

But John didn't look guilty anymore. In fact he gave Rodney a look.

If the hair wasn't the reason, then... Rodney thought about their bet, how John had really gotten into it, then the music for his striptease, that had thankfully run out at some point, how he'd casually suggested to do it just for him. Oh.

"Not the haircut?" he asked.

"Not the haircut," John confirmed.

Rodney thought about all the trouble John must have gone through. Bribing Zelenka was not easy. He knew. He'd tried it himself. But John had done it, for Rodney, for this, for them. This wasn't just attraction. John _liked_ him, really liked him, even if he apparently couldn't say it.

"Okay, you get to keep the hair," Rodney said with a smile.

"Of course I do," John said, running a hand through it protectively. "I didn't lose the bet."

"Well, I didn't either. I was sabotaged."

"How about we both win then?"

And yes, Rodney could live with that.


End file.
